1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to phonon lasers and in particular to phonon lasers pumped by a thermal gradient using a two-stage laser effect, which can have a major impact on heat transfer and can be used in welding, cutting, various sensors, etc.
2. The Relevant Technology
Known are phonon lasers pumped by electron phonon interaction, microwave radiation (I. Silvera, U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,104), heat pulse, typically created by optical laser pulse (D. Cahill et al., Journal of Applied Physics, V. 93, No. 2, p. 793-818, 2003). Also known is a device, which might or might not be a phonon laser, having some of the elements of a phonon laser (Y. Qu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,823).